स्वपुत्रमरणं भीरुर्यथावत्तं न्यवेदयत् । श्रुत्वा राजा तथा वाक्यं निपपात महीतले
Fearful, she reported the death of her own son as it had happened. Hearing her words, the king fell to the ground—
मृतपुत्रं समानीय जिह्वया विलिहन्मुहुः । हरिश्चन्द्रमथो प्राह शैव्या गद्गदया गिरा
Bringing his dead son close, he licked him again and again with his tongue. Then Hariścandra spoke to Śaivyā with a faltering voice—
कुरुष्व स्वामिनः प्रेष्यं छेदयित्वा शिरो मम । स्वामिद्रोहो न तेऽस्त्वद्य मासत्यो भव भूपते
'Do the bidding of your master—cut off my head. Let there be no betrayal of your master today, O king.'
मासत्यं तव राजेन्द्र परद्रोहस्तु पातकम् । एतदाकर्ण्य राजा तु पपात भुवि मूर्च्छितः
'Let there be no unfaithfulness to your master, O king; but betrayal of another is a sin.' Hearing this, the king fell unconscious to the ground—
क्षणेन चेतनां प्राप्य विललापातिदुःखितः । राजोवाच - कथं प्रिये त्वया प्रोक्तं वचनं त्वतिनिष्ठुरम्
Regaining consciousness after a moment, overwhelmed by grief, he lamented: The king said: 'How, my dear, could you speak such harsh words—'
यदशक्यं भवेद्वक्तुं तत्कर्म क्रियते कथम् । पत्न्युवाच - मया च पूजिता गौरी देवा विप्रास्तथैव च
'Words that are impossible even to utter—how could such an act be done?' The queen said: 'I have worshipped Gaurī, the gods, and the brahmins as well.'
भविष्यसि पतिस्त्वं मे ह्यन्यस्मिञ्जन्मनि प्रभो । श्रुत्वा राजा तदा वाक्यं निपपात महीतले
You shall be my husband in another birth, O Lord; hearing these words, the king then fell to the ground.
मृतस्य पुत्रस्य तदा चुचुम्ब दुःखितो मुखम् । राजोवाच - प्रिये न रोचते दीर्घं कालं क्लेशं मयाशितुम्
Then, grieving, he kissed the face of his dead son; the king said: 'Beloved, I cannot bear to endure such suffering for long.'
नात्मायत्तोऽहं तन्वङ्गि पश्य मे मन्दभाग्यताम् । चाण्डालेनाननुज्ञातः प्रवेक्ष्ये ज्वलनं यदि
I am not master of myself, slender-waisted one; see my misfortune. If the outcaste does not permit, I shall enter the fire.
चाण्डालदासतां यास्ये पुनरप्यन्यजन्मनि । नरकं च वरं प्राप्य खेदं प्राप्स्यामि दारुणम्
I shall become a servant of outcastes in another birth again, or, having attained hell, I shall suffer terrible torment.
तापं प्राप्स्यामि सम्प्राप्य महारौरवरौरवे । मग्नस्य दुःखजलधौ वरं प्राणैर्वियोजनम्
I shall experience torment, having reached the great Raurava hell; for one sunk in the ocean of sorrow, separation from life is preferable.
कथं प्राणान्विमुञ्चामि परायत्तोऽस्मि दुर्गतः । तथापि दुःखबाहुल्यात्त्यक्ष्यामि तु निजां तनुम्
How can I give up my life? I am helpless and destitute; yet, because of the abundance of sorrow, I will abandon my own body.
त्रैलोक्ये नास्ति तद्दुःखं नासिपत्रवने तथा । वैतरण्यां कुतस्तद्वद्यादृशं पुत्रविप्लवे
There is no suffering like this in the three worlds, nor even in the forest of sword-leaves, nor in the Vaitarani river—how could there be such as this, the loss of a son?
सोऽहं सुतशरीरेण दीप्यमाने हुताशने । निपतिष्यामि तन्वङ्गि क्षन्तव्यं तन्ममाधुना
I shall fall, slender-waisted one, into the blazing fire with my son's body; forgive me for this now.
न वक्तव्य त्वया किञ्चिदतः कमललोचने । मम वाक्यं च तन्वङ्गि निबोधाहतमानसा
You must not say anything further, lotus-eyed one; slender-waisted one, listen to my words, though my mind is struck down.
अनुज्ञाताथ गच्छ त्वं विप्रवेश्म शुचिस्मिते । यदि दत्तं यदि हुतं गुरवो यदि तोषिताः
Now, with my permission, go to the house of the Brahmin, O pure-smiling one; if gifts have been given, if offerings made, if the teachers have been satisfied—
सङ्गमः परलोके मे निजपुत्रेण चेत्त्वया । इहलोके कुतस्त्वेतद्भविष्यति समीप्सितम्
If, in the next world, you and I are united with our own son, how could such a wish be fulfilled in this world?
यन्मया हसता किञ्चिद्रहसि त्वां शुचिस्मिते । अशेषमुक्तं तत्सर्वं क्षन्तव्यं मम यास्यतः
If ever I laughed at you in private, O pure-smiling one, all that I have said—let it be forgiven as I depart.
राजपत्नीति गर्वेण नावज्ञेयः स मे द्विजः । सर्वयत्नेन तोष्यं स्यात्स्वामी दैवतवच्छुभे
Because of the pride of being a royal wife, do not look down on that Brahmin; by every effort, the master should be pleased, O auspicious one, as if he were a deity.
राज्ञ्युवाच अहमप्यत्र राजर्षे निपतिष्ये हुताशने । दुःखभारासहा देव सह यास्यामि वै त्वया
The queen said: 'I too, O royal sage, shall fall into the fire here; unable to bear the weight of sorrow, I will go with you, O Lord.'
त्वया सह मम श्रेयो गमनं नान्यथा भवेत् । सह स्वर्गं च नरकं त्वया भोक्ष्यामि मानद । श्रुत्वा राजा तदोवाच एवमस्तु पतिव्रते
For me, there is no greater good than to go with you; with you, O giver of honor, I will enjoy both heaven and hell. Hearing this, the king replied: 'So be it, O faithful wife.'
हरिश्चन्द्राख्यानश्रवणफलवर्णनम् सूत उवाच - ततः कृत्वा चितां राजा आरोप्य तनयं स्वकम् । भार्यया सहितो राजा बद्धाञ्जलिपुटस्तदा
The Fruit of Hearing the Story of Harishchandra. Suta said: Then, having prepared the funeral pyre, the king placed his son upon it; together with his wife, the king stood with hands joined in reverence.
चिन्तयन्परमेशानीं शताक्षीं जगदीश्वरीम् । पञ्चकोशान्तरगतां पुच्छब्रह्मस्वरूपिणीम्
Contemplating the supreme Lady, the thousand-eyed, the ruler of the universe, who dwells within the five sheaths, who is the essence of Brahman in the form of a tail.
रक्ताम्बरपरीधानां करुणारससागरम् । नानायुधधरामम्बां जगत्पालनतत्पराम्
Clad in red garments, an ocean of compassion, holding various weapons, the Mother devoted to the protection of the world.
तस्य चिन्तयमानस्य सर्वे देवाः सवासवाः । धर्मं प्रमुखतः कृत्वा समाजग्मुस्त्वरान्विताः
As he was reflecting, all the gods, along with their leaders, hastened and assembled, placing Dharma at the forefront.
आगत्य सर्वे प्रोचुस्ते राजञ्छ्रुणु महाप्रभो । अहं पितामहः साक्षाद्धर्मश्च भवगान्स्वयम्
Having arrived, all of them spoke: 'O King, listen, O great lord! I am Pitamaha himself, and Dharma and Bhava have come in person.'
साध्याः सविश्वे मरुतो लोकपालाः सचारणाः । नागाः सिद्धाः सगन्धर्वा रुद्राश्चैव तथाश्विनौ
The Sādhyas, Viśve Devas, Maruts, guardians of the worlds, and the Cāraṇas, Nāgas, Siddhas, Gandharvas, Rudras, and the Aśvins as well,
एते चान्येऽथ बहवो विश्वामित्रस्तथैव च । विश्वत्रयेण यो मैत्रीं कर्तुमिच्छति धर्मतः
And many others, including Viśvāmitra, have also come; whoever wishes to form friendship in accordance with Dharma among the three worlds.
तितिक्षादमसत्त्वाद्यैस्त्वद्गुणैः परितोषितः । इन्द्र उवाच - हरिश्चन्द्र महाभाग प्राप्तः शक्रोऽस्मि तेऽन्तिकम्
Satisfied by your virtues such as forbearance, self-control, and truthfulness, Indra spoke: 'O Hariścandra, greatly fortunate, Śakra has come to you.'
त्वयाद्य भार्यापुत्रेण जिता लोकाः सनातनाः । आरोह त्रिदिवं राजन् भार्यापुत्रसमन्वितः
By you, together with your wife and son, the eternal worlds have been conquered today. Ascend to heaven, O King, accompanied by your wife and son.